Bears ready for takeoff

Passing game has had success against Vikings

There may be an air show at Memorial Stadium on Sunday. Chances are it will not be the one everyone expects.

Daunte what's-his-name throwing to Randy who?

No, figure on Jim Miller-to-Marcus Robinson and Marty Booker.

All three Bears had their first big NFL games against the Vikings in 1999. Robinson, in particular, has done more to the Vikings than Randy Moss has catching passes from Daunte Culpepper against the Bears.

Robinson has averaged seven catches and 102 yards in five games against the Vikings. With Culpepper at quarterback, Moss has averaged about four receptions and 56 yards in four games against the Bears.

Robinson came off the bench in the first Minnesota game in 1999 and caught eight passes from Shane Matthews and Cade McNown. Later that year he caught seven for 148 yards and Booker grabbed seven for 134 in his first start. In that game, also his first Bears start, Miller passed for 422 yards.

"The game plans have been great and we've taken advantage of the one-on-ones," Robinson said.

Minnesota has used a blitzing defense against the Bears that creates those one-on-one situations for their defensive backs. Miller has worked into the controlled schemes of coordinator John Shoop, but he is especially popular with his receivers because of his willingness to throw into one-on-one matchups. On those plays his more physical receivers can outfight defensive backs for the ball.

This off-season the Vikings lost all four of their starting defensive backs from a year ago; six of their eight defensive backs are new to the team. All told, they have seen five of their six leading 2001 tacklers depart. Reserve defensive end Talance Sawyer is the only one of the top six who is back; Sawyer's main contribution to Bears-Vikings lore was a late hit on McNown that enraged left tackle Blake Brockermeyer into an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that was the turning point in the first meeting in 2000.

The Vikings were last in the NFL last year in interceptions (eight) and had only 30 sacks. They were not especially effective defensively in their 2-2 exhibition season. Quarterbacks had a combined 88.1 rating and completed 60.9 percent of pass attempts against them.

"We brought a lot of free agents on defense and we're trying to change our attitude there," coach Mike Tice said. "We're trying to get bigger there and at the same time maintain some speed."

The Bears did damage deep with their receivers in the exhibition season. Robinson caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from Chris Chandler. Dez White caught two touchdown passes from Miller, the second an 80-yard strike to open the Miami game.

The Vikings' best chance at stopping Bears receivers figures to be back up the field around the line of scrimmage. Miller sustained a sprained ankle against Miami but returned to practice full time Monday.

"I made it through everything, feel fine, we play on Sunday and I'll be there," Miller said.

The Vikings can give their defensive backs help with a pass rush. Defensive end Lance Johnstone led the Oakland Raiders in sacks two seasons (1998-99) and was second on the Vikings last year with 5.5. He is a pure speed rusher, the kind of player who has been difficult for left tackle Bernard Robertson to handle at times this exhibition season.

"I'm just waiting to see what happens and I'm excited about it," said Robertson, who has never taken a regular-season NFL snap. "That's all you can be. I just want to get out there, silence all the critics, prove to myself and everybody else that I can get out there and play ball."